Page 1 of Cherry Auction

ONE

DOMHNALL

I sipmy Jameson and look around the room that’s been darkened for ambiance. The event planner did well, and I’m difficult to please.

The gleaming mahogany stage for the auction is the only well-lit spot in the club. They even hung a floor to ceiling burgundy velvet curtain for the virgin and the auctioneer to enter through. The spanking benches and St. Andrew’s Cross have been discreetly pushed off to the side. Instead, plush chairs upholstered in dark red fabric are arranged in an arc in front of the stage.

All a little dramatic, yes, but the rich arseholes in designersuits meandering around and laughing too loudly at each other’s jokes love this shite.

I ought to be playing my part as host. But one perk of being richer than god is getting to be an anti-social bastard.

“What the fuck, Dom?” Caleb says, suddenly appearing at my shoulder. He’s the club’s actual owner, and my self-proclaimed best friend. I’ve told him a thousand time my name’s pronouncedDonal, but he insists on shortening it to Dom. Mostly because he says if anyone should be nicknamedDomit’s me, since I’m such a controlling, sadistic bastard. It caught on and now everyone follows suit, even my sister. “I told you, no drinking tonight. Everyone’s got a goddamn glass in their hand.”

I glance over the rim of my tumbler. “You’re welcome. I didn’thaveto organize this little soiree here.”

He rolls his eyes. “Thank you, Dom, for helping me pull off this event and inviting your billionaire friends. Now why the fuck is everybody drinking? I know this isn’t a ring member event, but I thought you told them the rules.”

I scoff even as I finger my platinum-gold ace of spades ring that indicates my top tier membership inCarnal. You have to be a member in good standing for three years to qualify and be able to afford the fees. Then it provides entry to the darker, kinkiest events that require the trust of an inner circle.

Tonight, however, is what one might call an invitational event. We’re showing off the perks of what beinga member ofCarnalcan provide. And it’s a hell of a fundraiser to inject some quick cash into the club.

“For the kind of money you wanted in this room,” I say, “there are expectations. They don’t know the rules of the scene. These men assume there’s going to be a bar to order top shelf shite from.”

I nod towards the sleek bar, the only other source of significant light in the room. The bartender is in a black tux with a gold masquerade mask on. He’s framed by a backdrop of hundreds of black and red roses clustered in a living wall.

“Fuck,” Caleb runs a hand through his hair.

“Don’t worry so fecking much, you’ll get a hernia. I had them water the drinks down.”

“Even yours?” In the dim light, I see Caleb’s eyebrows lift skeptically.

“I’m just the host, remember? I’m not bidding tonight. I have no interest in virgins.”

I only want experienced subs, preferably pain-sluts. I want to mark them, fuck them, and then have everyone go on their merry way without ever knowing each other’s names.

“You should bid,” Caleb says. “Maybe what you need is something different. Someone to settle down with.”

I bark out a laugh and look over at him. “Don’t be fecking ridiculous. Don’t hang that picket fence shite on me. It’s a lie sold to muppets like you.”

“It’s not a lie.” His jaw tenses ever so slightly. “Silas and my mom had it.”

Well shite. There’s no saying anything against his sainted mam, may she rest in peace, his stepdad, Silas. No matter that the man’s doing ten to fifteen for bank robbery.

“Plus,” I swig down the rest of my drink, “I hardly think a woman getting a paycheck for her cherry’s looking to settle down.”

“I don’t know,” Caleb grins at me. “I’d think a billionaire would be a hell of an attractive get for a woman down on her luck.”

I give him my deadpan stare.

“C’mon. You’re such a closed off prick,” Caleb says. “I met the girl. Moira brought her by the club this week. She’s sweet. Real genuine.”

“Even worse. I don’t like sweet. I like silent. Preferably masked and faceless. Fucked up with daddy issues or whatever makes them like getting the shit flogged out of them.”

Caleb turns his whole face towards me and frowns. “Dude. That’s dark.”

I sigh on the inside. It’s so tedious to keep up this facade. All this pretending to be something other than what I am, just so I can walk around in normal society. If it weren’t for Moira, I wouldn’t make nearly as much effort. There’s not much I wouldn’t do for my sister.

Still, I’m a sadist. Deep in my dark little core, I like to hurt people. It brings me pleasure. Such great, deep-down pleasure, it’s the only time I feel alive.

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